Regulation
is one of the means by which society ensures that its values
and priorities are reflected in the procedures and operations
of the air transport industry.

In
2020,
regulatory arrangements are providing a clear and consistent
regime within which aeronautics are developing and prospering.
Most rules are standard around the world so that their impact
does not favour one set of national interests over another.

The
European Union's regulation of the sector now extends to more
than 30 countries. Airlines are free to settle their own routes,
capacities and fares subject to the competition rules in an enlarged
internal market.

Safety
is now regulated by a pan-European Aviation Safety Authority that
has long since replaced the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA).
The Authority covers all aspects of the safety of civil aviation,
including air traffic management, airport operations, aircraft
certification and associated licensing of personnel. A high degree
of global standardisation has also been achieved for safety rules.

Air
Traffic Management now applies to a "single European sky"
in which air space is assigned and managed as though national
sovereign zones no longer existed. All European air traffic control
providers, whether or not they are privatised, have reached world
class standards of efficiency.

The
Aircraft

In
2020,
the aircraft is both the symbol and the reality of the globally
competitive European aeronautics "system". It is the
end product of the European way of organising and funding research
and of applying its fruits. It is an expression of the depth of
Europe's human talent and of the capacities of its companies to
take on and withstand competition.

Aircraft
design and production has been transformed, in particular, by
the emerging technologies. From the first phases of conception,
the structure, the systems and the engines have been integrated
by Computer Aided Design, permitting huge reductions in production
and manufacturing time and costs. This has been one factor making
for cheaper air travel. Others have been lower operating and maintenance
costs, better overall management of the aircraft and its use and
the development of emerging technologies such as a new generation
of lighter materials which are corrosion resistant, tolerant of
damage and repairable as often as necessary.

Engines
are still fuelled by hydrocarbons, their polluting emissions having
been reduced to acceptable levels by efficient combustion, lighter
airframes and better aerodynamics. However, low-polluting cryogenic
fuels are becoming affordable.

Driven
by the concepts "More Affordable, Safer, Cleaner and Quieter",
the industry is working on more competitive aircraft designs with
different configurations, although the classic cylindrical fuselage
with engines hanging from low wings is still very much the dominant
design at work in the world's skies.

Aircraft
still at the computer-design phase are addressing society's needs
as well as the market for the next generation of super-liners.
These will carry the population of a large village - 1200 or so
people - with superbly efficient fuel consumption in a new dimension
of comfortable, cost-effective travel. This is by no means all:
the industry is also ready for the development of niche markets
for supersonic aircraft and freight-carrying airships, as well
as the emergence of flying wings and innovative vertical take-off
and landing vehicles.

The
systems' equipment and componentsIn
2020,
European leadership will be evident on aircraft throughout the
world. The industry in Europe is the leading developer and supplier
of avionics systems and its engines and systems are simply the
best. Its prowess also extends to air traffic management (ATM).
Such has been the success of the "European solution"
for ATM, that a de facto world standard has been created.

Goals

For
European Governments Parliament Union

Adopt
more flexible approaches to the industry that encourage rather
than hinder its adaptation to changes in the market.

Acknowledge
that the competitiveness of industry is based both on civil and
defence related products and that this has to be taken into account
in optimising the R&T system.

Facilitate
greater integration of European, national and private research
programmes so that maximum value is obtained from available funds.

Ensure
that education policies are directed at supplying the engineers,
scientists and other skills aeronautics badly needs.

Act
rapidly to implement the European Union's economic reform agenda
including adoption of measures to encourage mobility, such as
cross-border portable pensions and mutual recognition of qualifications,
and to promote the rapid growth of electronic networks, eCommerce
and eBusiness.

Ensure
closer and more effective coordination of the positions of European
governments in international institutions whose work impacts the
aeronautics industry, supporting the creation of level playing-fields
world-wide (e.g. the International Civil Aviation Organisation,
the International Telecommunications Union, the World Trade Organisation).